The present invention relates generally to heat sink connectors. More particularly, the present invention relates to heat sink connectors having high thermal conductivity and at the same time also having high electrical isolation.
In the operation of many electrical devices, heat is generated by the operation of the device itself and must be removed. Heat removal can be accomplished using a heat transferring connector to mechanically join the electrical current carrying conductor or surface to a heat sink which is cooled by a coolant bath or refrigeration source. It is highly desirable that the connector has high electrical isolation, so that a flow of current will not interfere with the operation of the electrical device.
Additionally, electrical current carrying conductors and surfaces often require the removal of heat as a part of their normal operation. The heat removal of these conductors and surfaces can also be accomplished by a mechanical connection to a heat sink that is cooled by a coolant bath or by a refrigeration source. Such connections ideally provide both effective removal of heat (high thermal conductivity) and effective electrical isolation (high electrical resistivity and high dielectric strength). Such connections should be straightforward to implement and provide reliable performance independent of operating temperature for long periods of time.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for providing a heat sink connection having both high thermal conductivity and high electrical isolation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved heat sink connection having effective performance over a wide operating temperature range.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel heat sink connection capable of performing effectively for long periods of time.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved heat sink connection that is straightforward to construct and capable of being manufactured at a reasonable cost.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus suitable for intercepting heat transferred to a high temperature superconductor (HTS) lead from a conventional lead.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for constructing a durable heat sink connection.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for intercepting heat produced by a heat source which is assembled using thermal interference fitting.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a novel heat sink connector having material compatibility with the object to be cooled, thereby helping to prevent undesirable chemical reaction between the connector, the heat sink and the object to be cooled.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improved heat sink connector having suitable mechanical properties over the desired operating temperature range, thereby preventing melting, undesirable bonding with the object to be cooled or the heat sink, and incompatible thermal expansion of the connector.